Paper-clip.



R. J. NORTHAM.

PAPER CLIP. APPLICATION FILED MAB.6,1911.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBE-RT J. NOBTHAM, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

PAPER-CLIP.

To all wiz-0m t may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT J. Nomi-IAM, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Los Angeles, county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Paper- Clips, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in paper clips, consisting of a back board upon which is mounted a spring actuated jaw to hold letters or other papers upon the board by confining them between the jaw and the board and the object of my invention is to provide a simple and convenient means of automatically holding the jaw open at different points of elevation, so that papers may be adjusted or removed from the clip or inserted therein with greater facility than is possible in a clip where no means are provided for holding the jaw open when papers are put into or taken out of the clip. I accomplish this object by the clip described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a top plan of my improved clip, with a bundle of papers in place therein. Fig. 2 is an edge elevation of the jaw end partly in section of the parts shown in Fi 1.

Ign the drawings 5 is the back board and 6 is the spring actuated jaw of any approved construction of the ordinary paper clip. In the drawings I have shown a form of paper clip in which the spring which actuates the jaw is riveted to the back board by rivet 7 and is coiled around pintle bolt 8 as shown in dotted lines, thus connecting the two arts. At a central point in the jaw and in front of the pintle bolt, I cut an aperture 9 therein. Through this aperture projects a detent bar 10, which is preferably formed of sheet metal folded into U-shape and with the top flattened out to form a thumb piece 11. In the folded edge are cut or stamped a plurality of notches 12, which are adapted to catch the aw and hold the same at whatever elevation the operatorl desires for the front end thereof. This elevation will usually depend upon the quantity of papers already in7 or to be put into the clip. This detent bar is mounted in the end of a rocking arm 13, which is likewise preferably formed of sheet metal folded into U-shape. This rocking arm is rockably mounted on pintle bolt 8. A spring 14 is coiled around Specification lof Letters Patent.

Application led March 6, 1911.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

serial No. 612,627.

rivet 15, which unites the detent bar to the rocking arm, one end of the spring bearing against the detent bar and the other end bearing against the rocking arm so as to force the free end of the detent bar outwardly whenever the jaw is raised, thereby automatically causing the detent bar to engage the jaw. By this construction cheap and etlicient means are provided for holding the jaw of the clip at a slight elevation above tte papers to be put into or taken out of the c 1p.

Ordinarily in the operation of the device the operator will simply elevate the jaw to the first notch in the detent bar that will engage it and permit him to take a paper out of the clip or enable him to put papers into it.

If desired both the detent bar and the rocking arm could be made of bar metal, but I prefer the use of sheet metal and folding the same into a narrow U as the trough formed by the metal enables me to easily mount the spring which throws the free end of the detent bar forward.

In the drawings I have shown four notches in the detent bar but there may be more or less as desired.

I have found in practice that it is desirable to have notches in the detent bar so as to hold it at many different elevations, because it requires less exertion to raise the jaw a short distance above the papers in the clip than it does to raise the jaw to the maximum height every time it is desired to take out of or put into the clip a paper. To release the jaw, the operator applies pressure to the thumb piece 11 and pushes it from beneath the jaw, when the jaw closes on the papers.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

1. A paper clip comprising a back board and a spring actuated jaw having an aperture therethrough; a pintle bolt connected with the base and upon which said jaw is rockably mounted; a rocking arm also mounted upon said pintle bolt; a spring actuated detent bar pivotally mounted in the outer end of said rocking arm, said detent bar having a plurality of notches in its outer edge and projecting through the aperture in said jaw, the notches being adapted to engage the edge of the aperture.

2. A paper clip comprising a back board and a spring actuated jaw having an apersition; connecting means between said bar and` arm; and a spring .mounted on the conmeeting means of said bar and arm and adapted to throw the free end ofthe bar away from the arm.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 24th day of February, 1911.

ROBERT J. NORTHAM.

Witnesses:

C. S. WARDEN, E. E. NOON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

